Batman has one of the greatest Rogues Galleries in all of the comic books, and could possibly be the greatest overall. He also has the deepest backbench in comics. The Bat-Family contains some of the best and brightest in the entire DC Universe, all dedicated to helping Batman stop crime in Gotham.
But like villains, not all allies are created equal. Let's take a look at the most underrated and overrated members of the Bat-Family.
10 Underrated: Ace the Bat-Hound
A dog is man's best friend and Ace the Bat-Hound is Batman's. Sort of. Part of a tradition to pair superheroes with pets back in the Golden Age, Ace was a constant companion of Batman and Robin from his 1955 debut until the idea just got too silly (Batman got too silly in the 60s - maybe).
From there, he was in and out, but he's been a consistent part of the team through one reboot after another. The details change, but the fact remains the same: Ace the Bat-Hound is always there for Batman.
9 Overrated: Huntress
Huntress is sort of the black sheep of the Bat-Family. She's a little too extreme, a little too hard, and a little too happy with her bow and arrow (sorry, crossbow).
Helena Bertinelli feels like she makes sense in the world of Gotham, having suffered terribly at the hands of a rival mob family, but trying to force her into the role of the "Dark Knight" in the world of the Dark Knight has never really gelled. That said, she has found success in Birds of Prey, both in the comic and the recent film.
8 Underrated: Aunt Harriet
When Alfred died the first time, Dick Grayson's previously unmentioned Aunt Harriet swooped in to the rescue. Though her presence didn't quite make sense in Wayne Manor (or Dick's life; where was she when his parents died?) she did keep the place in tip-top shape.
She made the meals, cleaned the clothes, and noticed what a weird place the mansion was. with all of its noises and strange goings-on, but failed to ever put two and two together before just fading into obscurity after Alfred's return.
7 Overrated: Jim Gordon
Shots fired? Commissioner James Gordon has a huge and necessary role in both Gotham and Batman's life, but it might be a bit overstated. His prominence in relation to Batman's war on crime doesn't necessarily render him as essential as some of the other Bat-Family.
Could anyone on Gotham PD help Batman? No. But when Gordon helps Batman, it's in the context of a system that Batman views as corrupt, ineffective, or both. They've butted heads, impeded each other, and leveraged each other to flatten out what each perceives to be wrong with their city.
6 Underrated: Barbara Gordon
As Batgirl, she never got her due. As Oracle, she was essential to Batman and his extended family's war on crime. After the shooting that left her in a wheelchair, Barbara harnessed her genius and interest in computers to bring the battle for Gotham's soul into the Information Age.
Her actions and contributions not only assisted Batman in making the city safer, she's helped other heroes and teams along the way. Back in the cape and cowl, Barbara Gordon is amazing in any version.
5 Overrated: Catwoman
Catwoman has moved from villain to hero and back a few times now, with her most recent iteration bringing her (almost) to the altar with Bruce Wayne. Selina Kyle has been under the wing of the Bat-Family for quite a while, and now is literally part of the family (or at least it seems that way).
Her increased importance in this regard tends to diminish her more catty tendencies, and that diminishes the character a little, even if she may truly be the one for Bruce.
4 Underrated: Jason Todd
Jason Todd went from being one of the most reviled characters in comics (to the point fans voted him dead) to one of its most intriguing villains/anti-heroes. Still, it doesn't feel like he gets all of the respect he deserves.
Jason Todd is a great foil for Batman. Unappreciated, unprepared, and unphased after being killed by the Joker, he has returned as a villain and anti-hero, fighting both villains and heroes alike depending on the circumstances. If Batman and Joker are opposites, then Batman and Jason Todd are reverse images.
3 Overrated: Azrael
The 90s were a confusing period. Everybody was dying or going nuts or just adding a lot of pouches. Azrael showed up to take over as Batman when Bruce Wayne got broken by Bane. Azrael immediately became extra when he donned a suped-up suit of armor and started bashing bad guys to a pulp.
Azrael had his moments for sure, but he remains an outlier who didn't exactly earn his credentials. It takes a lot to wear the suit, and do it with half the dignity of Bruce Wayne.
2 Underrated: Stephanie Brown
Stephanie Brown has absolutely, positively, not gotten her due in the DC Universe. Whether she was Spoiler, Batgirl, or Robin, she's been one of the more fun and essential Bat-Family members of recent years.
She's also been one of the more maligned. Through the various reboots and shifts in DC continuity, she's been killed and revised out of her own history to an extent many other characters haven't. She was even forgotten for a while, but many fans never forgot.
1 Overrated: Damien
Simultaneously the kid who is trying too hard and yet has the goods anyway, Damien Wayne is great as a little murder-Robin with a complicated relationship to his dad, Batman. He's also frequently too much, built up to be a foil and, potentially, an antagonist of Batman.
Unfortunately, his development has often been frustrated. He's arrogant, bratty, and not that interesting. When he shows signs of growing up, he defaults to factory settings. To be fair, he's still pretty young, but he seems stuck in neutral.